Days 229 and 230: 29th and 30th January 2018 - My Birthday and sick kids!

29th Jan

I was woken on my birthday by Esmé handing me a hand made card and AJ one of his books that he had wrapped up for me. We'd agreed no presents but AJ obviously thought I needed something to unwrap.... he knows his mother well! The best present was that the kids had done a little school the night before so that we could have the day off and go to Modica. Modica is the wealthiest town on Sicily and is famous for its chocolate so a perfect place for a mooch around.

We parked up and spent the next 10 minutes figuring out where to buy a scratch card for the parking, then climbed (according to my guide book) 250 stairs to the San Giorgio Cathedral.

 

We're not a religious family but both kids like lighting candles and remembering Great Granny and  Neo (Grandad's dog).

And we can all appreciate the beautiful building and peaceful atmosphere.

We also saw a line going through the cathedral which had signs of the Zodiac written on it as well as dates etc. There was a small hole in the cathedral wall which may have let a beam of sunlight in. We took photo's of the words to try and work out what it was all about 

 

Next we consulted TripAdvisor to find a nice café for a drink and a snack. The kids and I had very strong, bitter, hot chocolate which came served with 2 sachets of sugar each. Seeing the kids struggling the owner then brought over a jug of milk! Patrick had a cappuccino and we shared some goodies: a jam croissant, something that tasted like a doughnut filled with ricotta cheese which was surprisingly nice,  2 pasty shaped local delicacies which had a chocolate cake truffle like filling, and a couple of rum truffles... well it was my birthday!

All were delicious but we were all rather surprised at how nice the ricotta was in the doughnut!

Next it was back to the car via a lovely toy shop filled with amazing toys including some the lady made herself! The an amazing chocolate shop where we could taste all kinds of flavours. The Modica chocolate is quite crumbly and grainy, very different to Cadbury's Dairy Milk! There are many flavours including Chilli, salt, and orange.

Back to Marina Di Ragusa just in time to collect driftwood for our shell mobiles which would be created in the afternoon. Time for a little snack and a sneaky prosecco (thanks Helen!) before craft time in meeting room.

Esmé and I enjoyed making a mobile with shells as well as catching up with friends. I also picked up a lovely present that my brother had sent me. Whisky!!! It's crazy expensive here so this is a lovely treat!

Tuesday 30th January

Sad to say we were awoken in the early hours by AJ being sick, closely followed by Esmé so other than a brief trip to the laundry (Patrick), and the supermarket (me) we have been confined to the boat all day cuddling kids who have been pretty lethargic but thankfully not sick again since this morning. On the plus side Patrick has finished servicing the winches and we have caught up on a little paperwork. Hoping they feel better tomorrow! 

Days 225 to 228: 25th to 28th January 2018 - The eve of my birthday!

Thursday 25th Jan

School went well in the morning, or at least better than it was before Christmas. Then after an early finish the kids and I went into town to get a new SIM card for the mifi to double our data for an additional 10 Euros per month. On the way we called in on Ben and Annabelle to see if they wanted to play. AJ ended up staying with Ben on the beach, but Annabelle wanted to spend time with her Nana who was going home that afternoon so Esmé came with me. On the way back Helen invited us for dinner and suggested playing at the beach in the afternoon so we went back for lunch and then headed back to the beach to play with Ben, Annabelle, Kynan, Leora and Nicola. Lynita took the kids at first and then I went down, before Patrick tag teamed me so that we both got a little kid free time.


Once back at the boat I enjoyed a little quiet time before a nice long uninterrupted shower. I then saw a message from my nephew "please help" along with the picture to the right. I had a little time to spare so quickly set up a video call and talked him through his maths homework!

Then down to the house that Helen and Matthew had been staying in with their family ready for a lovely dinner with them and the Manzano family. A lovely evening was had by all, with the kids chilling out in the kids room until Esmé and Annabelle tidied it up ready for the walk back to the marina. By this time it was pretty late so Ben kindly gave Esmé a lift to the marina on the back of his bike.

Friday 26th January 2018

School again and then off to visit Donnafugata castle where we had arranged to meet the Dizzy crew for a picnic lunch. The place was amazing and the kids wanted to head straight outside to the maze, but not before stopping to climb and enormous olive tree.

The maze was built of stone and high enough that I couldn't see over the walls, Patrick managed a little better but it was a real challenge for the kids.... until they got a little help from Dad!

After the maze we eventually caught up with Lynita and crew and enjoyed a picnic lunch before exploring the rest of the garden.

Lynita and family had been forced to look inside the castle before coming out, but we had yet to see inside so we were beginning to consider our next plans when a very loud siren sounded. The kids quickly appeared from where-ever they were playing and we soon figured out that the place closed at 1pm, and it was now after half past. We walked to the entrance and had to wait for the security guy to let us out of the locked door! Lesson learned... check opening times before paying to go into a venue. Despite the day being cut short we had a lovely time and may well go back.

We then decided to make use of the rest of the afternoon to visit Decathlon to let AJ get a new scooter with birthday money, and to stock up on a few things, as well as taking a look at the other shops on the same site. Then back to the boat to cook Thai curry to share with the Dizzy crew.

Saturday 27th January

Having gone to Ragusa on Friday we had a somewhat leisurely morning. I took a walk into town to pick up some groceries and then at 1pm we joined the other families under the gazebo to celebrate Bethany Manzano's Birthday. It was a pink pig party and great fun was had by all.

In the evening we went out for Pizza with the Manzanos and Titania crew. Fantastic pizza and great company made a perfect end to the day!.... or perhaps not quite the end. I had forgotten that my lovely lady friends from home had asked to FaceTime me as they were having a get together. I did remember at 1am when I felt Patrick fumbling around with the iPad mounted above our bed only to find myself looking at this lovely crew, desperately scrambling to remember what exactly I was wearing in bed! I think Patrick will take more care in future over what buttons he presses in the middle of the night!

Sunday 28th January 

My initial plan of going to Modica and then onto a shell beach close to Scoglitti was overruled as it was a beautiful day, and that would involve too much driving, so we headed straight for Scoglitti. After a couple of false starts we eventually found the intended beach, had a lovely picnic, and were soon joined by Lynita and Justin with Kynan and Leora. We had a lovely time collecting shells while the kids got wet, complained they were cold, and got wet again!

Another lovely day, and on the eve of my birthday, expecting nothing but a handmade card from my lovely crew, I am truly happy. I need nothing more than what we have at the moment. We are so lucky to have this time together as a family. 8 months in, we have learned so much about each other, pulled together through hard times and had so much fun as a family. I'd say I can't wait to see what this year holds, but I can. For once in my life I'm living and loving every moment and don't want to rush any of it!

Day 224: 24th Jan 2018 - Life is good, despite more holding tank issues.

We all woke a little earlier than usual and after grabbing some cereal AJ asked if he could go for a walk. I've been trying to get a half hour walk in each day so jumped at the chance of a little one on one time with my boy. We headed out of the marina and to the west as I had done yesterday and enjoyed the lovely morning sun while having a natter about life, school, and Harry Potter.

On our return AJ wanted to cook breakfast so fried some eggs and made toast which was lovely. In the meantime Esmé had helped Patrick fill the water tanks and do a few other jobs.After the morning net we started our usual morning routine of Esmé (eventually) drying the dishes while AJ reads and I prepare boatschool. Then at 9:30 Esmé starts with English, continuing with her character description of Timmy the dog, along with a little handwriting practice and some time on the app Nessy Writing Beach where she practices where to put commas.

After half an hour it's AJ's turn to learn with me and we carry on with his "Maths no Problem" workbook. He's doing really well at the moment, looking at the problems and working out how to do them for himself. As we finished the worksheet a little early we had a good chat about the use of manipulatives not just being for "babies" but a useful tool for all mathematicians for solving problems.

While AJ was doing his maths, Esmé was busy helping Patrick to service the winches. She was really enthralled and helpful. AJ also helped with the winches while Esmé did her maths before both kids did a lesson out of our "Story of the World" History program. I have come back to this after a break as it is a chronological history of the world from the earliest nomads. If we put some effort in now, then hopefully we should have covered ancient Greeks before we get there in spring!

It was about this time that Patrick realised that we had a problem with the holding tank again so he stopped work on the winches and started investigating.

I fed the kids as they were starving and they went off to play at building dams with Kynan again, and an hour or so later and we had a working toilet again so Patrick and I celebrated with a peaceful kid free lunch!

Wednesdays are movie days so at 3pm kids and a handful of parents gathered at the meeting room to watch "Song of the Sea", a lovely film based on an old Irish story. I spent a little time catching up with Lynita, getting a B&B recommendation for a road trip we're planning for our birthdays, and downloaded the latest updates for our iNavx iPad based chart plotter. (We have a nice Raymarine chart plotter on deck but the iPad is a great backup and actually our instrument of choice in heavy shipping as the AIS overlay on it is much clearer than the AIS on the Raymarine chart plotter).

Back to the boat while the kids play outside and I finally get round to tidying the kids cabin after piles of luggage were dumped on our return. I finish just in time to dig out the leftover curry from the fridge and cook some rice before Esmé falls asleep. After a lovely tea I get E ready for bed and share reading more Famous Five with her while AJ dries the dinner dishes. Next up is AJ's English which despite being really tired he attacks with enthusiasm. Looks like the pirate book may have been £32 well spent! 5 minutes of typing practice and then he asks to go to bed. Think that's where Patrick is heading too!

Day 223: 23rd Jan 2018 Market Day and Kids Cook Tuesday

So Tuesday is Market Day in Marina di Ragusa and a good excuse for a break from normal school, although both kids should still do English and Maths, we are trying to keep this short in favour of a family trip to the market and discount supermarket where the kids will buy supplies to cook dinner for under 10 Euros. It also gives the kids chance to burn off some energy at the rather good playground next to the market. The kids, particularly Esmé aren't always enthusiastic about the walk up the hill but once on our way it is a pleasant stroll along the sea front before the brief climb.

I'm starting to get more familiar with the market now and know which sellers are better value. It's often somewhat frustrating to only be able to buy larger quantities of veg when we have limited space on the boat, but just as at Barleylands in Essex, it is often cheaper to buy a big bag than to buy a single item, and then I just give the excess to fellow cruisers. The kids initially rushed off to the playground to look for their friends Ben and Annabelle but once they discovered they weren't there yet, were relatively easily persuaded to come and shop for dinner. My Italian is appalling but I explain to the kids that I just point at what I want and ask "quanto" for how much. Esmé tries this but gets talked over by some Italian guy but perseveres and finds out the cost of the strawberries she has her eye on. Soon the shopping is done and we hang around waiting for Ben and Annabelle at the park where they enjoy each others company after 4 weeks apart.

We then walk back with the Titania crew and inspect their temporary lodgings in a holiday let where they are spending time with visiting family. It's pretty cool, but dodgy electrics make me think that the hotel is a better bet for Mum and Dad when they visit in March. The kids are still enjoying catching up so we enjoy a chat with the adults while the boys tear around on Ben's bike and Annabelle teaches Esmé to play chess.

Next we're back to the boat to stash our purchases and have lunch, followed by half an hour of school. AJ objects but eventually plucks up the courage to try the mind workout I have been encouraging him to look at in maths. 

By now it is late afternoon so just time for a quick play then showers before its time for the kids to cook. Home made burgers and chips with raw carrot, cucumber and celery and a cheesy dip, followed by strawberries. They did need a little help but I was really impressed by how much they managed and great teamwork.

Esmé really needed an early night so as soon as tea was done I helped her into PJ's and we read to each other before she requested stories of when I was a child. After about 1/2 hour I stole away to do some English with AJ, continuing with the Pirate creative writing book. Despite my concerns that it might be a bit much after the stress of the mind workout, AJ surprised my by saying he was looking forward to it and he likes the Pirate book. 20 Minutes later he had written a fantastic little story... loving this book!

So all is now peaceful and for once I might finish the blog at a sensible time. Boat is still in chaos but there is always tomorrow for tidying!

Day 222: 22nd Jan 2018 - Back to boatschool!

The fact that AJ had already done his English last night, and Esmé had done some reading too was supposed to make morning school easier. I had also planned a schedule so that Esmé was off the boat while AJ was doing his Maths so that he could concentrate better and if he got anxious about it, Esmé didn't then copy!

In reality we were all up early, and AJ continued reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix as he was close to the end. We all ate breakfast and listened to the morning radio net and then AJ had a bit of down time as he had already been reading for a good while and Esmé dried the breakfast dishes. Then at 9:30 we settled down to work, AJ starting on the next Harry Potter while Esme worked on the initial stages of a character description of Timmy the dog out of the Famous Five.

Next AJ worked with me on some Maths while Esmé helped Patrick with the Laundry, and then we switched so that AJ helped Patrick while Esmé did her maths too. Lastly we took a look at nutrition as the kids had been asking what vitamins actually do for us. This was a year 6 resource of Twinkle and I was impressed that both kids were fine both reading the content and applying what they learned to an activity sheet.

It was a beautiful day and Esmé did some of her work laying in the sun on the pontoon outside, then announcing that we should have a picnic lunch on the beach. The soup I had prepared yesterday stayed in the fridge and Esmé made sandwiches while I recorded the work they had done and tidied up a bit, then off to the stony beach we went.

We had a lovely picnic before Patrick returned to pick up the laundry while I stayed at the beach with the kids who were busy improving the den and practicing sword skills as well as just generally exploring. AJ eventually got bored so went back to the boat while I stayed on a little longer with Esmé. As we were playing we found a lovely fossil to take back to show dad!

Back on the boat I got curry going in the thermal cooker for tea while AJ had some electronic time and Esmé went to play with Kynan and Leora. Then at 2:30 the kids went to help set up todays craft session with Lotty.

We painted some lovely stones and had a great time with the other kids.

On the way back the kids tried to skim stones and build dams, eventually working really well together as a team!

Then it was quickly back to the boat where I put on the rice and then stole a sneaky half hour to take a walk in an effort to do a little more exercise. It was nice to have a little alone time and I walked West along the seafront further than I've been before which was really nice as the sun dropped lower and lower in the sky.

We all enjoyed the curry and then evening school was abandoned in favour of a celebratory movie night watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix.... AJ's treat for finishing his book!